UFC officials recently announced that Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio
Werdum will coach the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter:
Brazil,” after which the heavyweights will toss aside their
clipboards and strap on their gloves for a rematch that Nogueira
says he is already eagerly anticipating.

“I’m very happy to fight Fabricio
Werdum,” Nogueira said during a media conference call on
Thursday. “He’s a very high-level opponent, and I’m pretty sure
we’re going to make a really good fight.”

Nogueira and Werdum previously met in the quarterfinals of
Pride’s 2006 open-weight grand prix, with “Minotauro” emerging
victorious via unanimous decision. Six years after their initial
showdown, Nogueira says that another victory over Werdum could
propel him toward a return to the heavyweight division’s upper
echelon.

“This next fight is going to be very important for me, because each
fight that you win or lose is either one step forward or one step
back,” said Nogueira. “I want to be between those guys in the
Top-5.”

Nogueira recently returned to competition after spending 10 months
on the shelf with a broken arm courtesy of Frank Mir at
UFC 140. The former Pride champion stepped up on short notice to
face Dave Herman
three weeks ago at UFC 153, submitting his younger foe with a
second-round armbar in front of a raucous crowd in Rio de
Janeiro.

“This fight against Herman, for sure, was a challenge for me,
because I just got back from my injury. They put 16 screws in my
arm,” said Nogueira. “Coming back and fighting in Brazil was a big
challenge and a big step. It was very important to me. I’m back
again, and I want to fight the best guys.”

Should Nogueira get past Werdum, who is currently ranked fourth in
the world, the veteran’s stock would surely rise. However, even if
the 36-year-old continues to post big wins, his path to the title
would still be impeded by his friend and training partner Junior dos
Santos, who currently sits atop the heavyweight mountain. While
Nogueira is still adamant that he would not challenge his teammate
for the belt, the veteran says he would jump at the chance to fight
for the championship under any other circumstance.

“I have no [desire] to fight Junior dos
Santos. He’s my friend, and he’s my training partner. I saw
this guy train since he was a purple belt,” said Nogueira. “But if
there is ever a chance or a day when he does not have the title
anymore, for sure, I would love to fight for the belt. That’s the
goal of everyone in the heavyweight division.”